List of Whole Grain Foods and Whole Grains Benefits

This list of whole grain foods and whole grains benefits can help you be much healthier – IF you start adding more whole grains to your diet.

That’s because even the short list of whole grain benefits is impressive.

Whole grains are low in fat.

They can help you to lose weight.

You can eat them in a variety of ways.

They’re excellent sources of nutrition and fiber.

And whole grain foods can protect you from diseases.

There are many different kinds of whole grains grown all around the world. But here are some of the best-known and most nutritious whole grains and whole grain foods that you can find in grocery or health food stores.

List of Whole Grain Foods

Listed nutrient grams are for ¼ cup of dry whole grains (unless otherwise noted). See list of high fiber foods and the food calorie chart for cooked varieties. And look for bread and cracker information on packages.

Whole Grain

Calories

Protein (g)

Carbs (g)

Amaranth

180

7

31

Barley Flakes

83

3

24

Barley, Hulled

176

5

39

Buckwheat

146

6

30

Couscous

180

7

31

Millet

150

3

24

Oats, Rolled

98

5

39

Oats, Steel Cut

170

6

30

Quinoa

120

7

31

Rice, Brown, Basmati

140

3

24

Rice, Brown, Long Grain

160

5

39

Rice, Brown, Medium Grain

160

6

30

Rice, Brown, Short Grain

180

7

31

Rice, Wild

160

3

24

Rye

160

5

39

Spelt

130

6

30

Wheat, Bulgur

150

7

31

Wheat, Durum

163

3

24

Wheat, Hard Red

160

5

39

Wheat, Soft Red

139

6

30

Wheat, Kernels

160

7

31

Whole Wheat Pasta (3/4 cup)

180

7

35

What are Whole Grains?

Whole grains are the whole seeds of plants. They include the bran (an outer layer which contains most of the fiber), the germ (the part from which new plants sprout that contains many important nutrients) and the endosperm (the largest part of the seed, but it offers little nutrition).

For millions of years, humans ate whole grains straight from the plant stalk. This gave them a rich package high in fiber, vitamins and minerals, healthy fats, enzymes and hundreds of other valuable phytonutrients.

But the late 19th century Industrial Revolution changed our grains.

Modern milling strips away both the bran and germ, along with all the healthy oils that need refrigeration to keep from spoiling. This makes grains easier to store and gives them a much longer “shelf life.” But besides all the fiber and oils, wheat loses 90% of vitamin E and half it’s B vitamins.

The refining process also smashes the endosperm into tiny bits, which turns wheat into fluffy fine flour to make light airy breads and pastries.

More and more studies show that returning to whole grains and other unprocessed carbohydrates can improve our health in many ways.

Whole grains help to prevent constipation,

Reduces your risk of cardiovascular disease,

Offers protection against some forms of cancer,

Helps protect you from developing type 2 diabetes,

And eating more whole grains helps you to live longer.

Whole grain foods don’t contain just one magical ingredient that can fight disease and improve your health. It’s the entire wholesome package working together that gives you all these valuable whole grain benefits.

Moss Greene has been studying the common sense principles of health and nutrition since 1979. She began writing professionally in 2002 as the Nutrition Editor for BellaOnline, the 2nd largest women's website on the internet and in the world. You can follow Moss on Google +.

Comments

Certainly, Georgina! Whole grains, when combined with a healthy, balanced, and nutritious diet will go a long way towards helping your thyroid gland. Part of the reason why your thyroid isn’t doing what it’s supposed to do is because, and I’m going out on a limb here to guess, you’re eating too many refined and processed foods – foods that lack the nutrients to support a healthy thyroid gland.

Whole, unprocessed grains are MUCH richer in nutrients, like fiber, vitamins, minerals, healthy fats and phytonutrients, when compared to processed grains. In fact, the healthy fats, which contain essential fatty acids your thyroid needs to function properly, are removed from the processed grains you’ve been eating. You can learn more about healthy fats by reading this article: Food Fat List of Bad Fat and Good Fat. Also, you should click on some of the links at the bottom of this article. They will direct you to more information that will help you make healthy choices.

Thank u for your good advice here that are helpful for better health and for the facts about whole grains being a prevention of cancer and other diseases and weight loss!! I’m going to stick with this kind of healthy eating of more whole grain.